Local Experiences: Learn and experience the culture through unique activities

Local Food: The best food of the season, grown locally and prepared by artisans

Featured Itineraries

Nakasendo

Yoga & Walking Retreats

(Contact us for Details)

About Us

Daniel Moore moved to Japan at just 7 months old. After living in Matsumoto and Tokyo for several years, his family moved back to Nagano. This is when he remembers first experiencing a love of the mountains. In high school Daniel’s family returned to the United States, where he attended high school and university, receiving a tennis scholarship and studying international business. The travel bug had already bit; Daniel completed two international exchange programs in university, learning 2.5 languages. Upon graduation, he accepted a job offer from a company in Kenya, working there for two years and deepening his passion for travel and thirst for adventure. After Africa, Daniel returned to the United States, where he wanted to utilize his Japanese. He became an interpreter and hiking guide for Japanese travelers. The opportunity soon arose to return to Japan when a hotel in Nagano needed bilingual staff. The hotel’s location just 2 minutes away from the slopes was a significant incentive. He returned the next year to work at another hotel in Nagano, before joining Walk Japan as a tour leader. Daniel is passionate about the outdoors, in addition to Japanese history, culture and food. He is trained in avalanche safety and Wilderness First Aid. His personal blog can be found at:

Seiji Kobayashi was born in Tokyo. Both his father and grandfather grew up in Nagano Prefecture, however, and took him to the mountains on holidays. During his university years, he couldn’t get enough of skiing in Nagano, coming every Winter and working as an excuse to ski every moment he could. Even in the summer, he continued coming to Nagano for its alluring mountains. Seiji remained in Tokyo for several years after university working with his father, but continued to visit Nagano whenever he could. Preceding the 1998 Winter Olympics, Seiji worked for a publishing company making guidebooks of Central Japan. Loving the stunning array of adventure, food, scenery and hot springs in and around Nagano, he decided work in the tourism industry helping other people experience this amazing place for themselves. Seiji has visited every single ski resort and onsen in Nagano. In 2012, he began working for a hotel in Yudanaka Onsen in Nagano Prefecture, just as the Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani became popular and a wave of international tourists began visiting. He resigned in 2016 to serve as the president of the Sushi Washoku International Academy, a world-class sushi academy offerning one-on-one sushi training in month-long courses. He also serves as the president of Nagano Ventures